invasion_of_the_onyxfandomcom-20200213-history
Regions
THE CONTINENT OF AZURAN Quick rundown: Southern part: Empire, anarchists, spiritualists, barbarians Central part: Isolationists, wild/dangerous lands Northern part: Former glory, shaky diplomacy, temperate, benevolent undead and controversy surrounding THE IZAR EMPIRE The Izarians are a militaristic people, hard-nosed and tough. The Izar region actually used to be two regions, Izar and Tadun. The Tadunians were somewhat isolationist and mysterious...they were mostly elves who lived in the forests on the other side of the mountain range. However, the Izarians are notoriously paranoid - whenever something bad happened, they suspected the Tadunian "witches" for having something to do with it. Eventually, after a tirade of propaganda about how the Tadunians are plotting to undermine the powerful Izarian empire with black magic, the public supported the plan to march on the Tadunians and wipe them out. After a bloody and short-lived war, the Tadunians fled across the Shadow sea, which might as well have been a death sentence. However, some of them did make it across and took refuge in the Broken Kingdoms. They say some Tadunians yet survive there, though most don't dare to venture into the Broken Kingdoms to find out. Their cities typically have a lot of unique architecture made out of iron and other metals, mined from the metal-rich Yelzar mountain range that stretches across it. They also produce some of the highest-quality arms and armor in Belorin, but they don't like trading with outsiders. Once the Tadunians were driven away, they took to harvesting their forests for the unique alchemical ingredients that can be found there. The Izar empire actually became a place of power in the world, because when the meteorite shower came, most if not all of the meteorites bounced off the iron buildings and landed in the streets in plain sight for all to see. Some brave people rushed to collect them, but most were collected by the government, who patrolled the streets in force at most times anyway. For this reason the Izar Empire became a hot spot for other regions seeking to obtain Star Blood. However, they are the southern-most region in the world and the far trek has ensured that only the most desperate will make the trip. They have an outpost on the eastern border. THE FORMER TADUNIAN REGION The forests are mostly unchanged aside from their former residents being wiped out. The Izarians have outposts on the borders of both forests to deter travellers. There are some Izar outposts dotted along the region along with some patrols that walk the plains looking for Tadunian survivors. They are building some small cities in the plains to spread their empire. The forests here are mostly just overrun with wlidlife (random events) There is a dock on the western coast with a ferry that takes travelers to Ostemheim. KINGDOM OF TILDALE This region used to be ruled by a theocracy of insane clerics they commanded fear of the people they ruled over. People in the cities were expected to produce bizarre and difficult-to-cultivate herbs and other oddities to send to them monthly. At first it was more of a nuisance than anything...but then the theocracy started sending its knights around to all the villages to check and make sure people were praying and paying homage to their God properly...this hadn't happened before, in fact the people were starting to think the theocracy was mostly ignoring them and focusing more inwardly, so when this happened it came as a surprise. The knights started bullying the commoners and even killing those who expressed their feelings to them. This caused the people to organize an army to march on the capital and they overran the clergy, killing them all with sheer force of numbers. Since then, the Kingdom of Tildale was known as a "free state" with no central government or worship of Gods. Most of the former Tildale peasants live in a centralized city called Darver, next to the Rosewood Forest. The Izar empire leaves this region alone since they have made no effort to even contact them for trade - they seem to be entirely self-sufficient. Though many believe the empire is actually afraid of the people who live there, given their history of overthrowing governments. The Kingdom of Tildale is mostly overrun with animals and other wild beasts by this point. A civilization of Isolationist gnomes used to live in the Rosewood forest, and they were actually largely unaffected by the red fever - they attributed this to living in harmony with nature, their diet, and their natural hardiness. Ironically though, not long after the meteor shower (of which the gnomes had little interest in pursuing the meteors), the local wildlife took to breaking open the meteorites and drinking the star blood that leaked out, mutating them into enraged beasts. The beasts started attacking the gnomes when the rest of the non-mutated beasts were wiped out, and before long the gnomes simply couldn't hold them all off and were wiped out. The funny thing is, most people aren't aware of this fact. The Izar empire leaves them alone, and most others don't even know they exist. There are a few other villages put up by refugees from other regions, but they have mostly been wiped out by the red fever or have packed up and left. Travellers who come to Izar for Star Blood often take up residence in the abandoned villages...those who built them actually intended for them to be used for travellers, with generic huts and community water sources, etc. There are also rumors of a savage hill people who live in the hills in the northeastern part of the region. DARVER Darver is a city borne of rebellion. They have been free of the oppressive fist of the Tildale Theocracy for several years now, and they lived peacefully with no belief in gods whatsoever since then. However, once the red fever struck, they felt they were being punished. Many called out to the Gods for forgiveness and a cure, which made others very angry, since they did not NEED the Gods. Their city is not very well fortified, for they are mostly ignored by other kingdoms and rarely get visitors. Their godlessness, combined with their history of overthrowing oppressive governments has led most civilizations to leave them alone. Because of this, they were fairly pompous and big-headed about their own power and independence. Then the red fever hit and they were humbled. The city of Darver is established right on the southern coast of the Sea of Swords, and built centered around the Rilas River, which cuts directly through the center of the city. Their roads and buildings are mostly made of a reddish-hued stone that is common in the Rilas River. The air smells of salt and is filled with the sound of rushing water, and if you listen you always seem to hear some kind of argument amongst the normal hustle and bustle. ERSTONE KINGDOM The Erstone kingdom is famous for its namesake, the Erstone - a giant monolith that juts out of the ground. It is made out of an unknown red substance that is extremely hard - too hard to be worked or even scratched by any known worldly material. It's very smooth and shiny, not to mention reflective: it's been said that those who gaze at their reflection in the Erstone may see truths about themselves that they themselves are unaware of. A small village has been formed around the Erstone, more of a monastery really, of monks, scholars and mystics who try to understand the Erstone. They tend to be very quiet, mysterious, and stoic. Aside from the Erstone, this region is rather mild. The Toadfen mire is here, which houses many unique amphibious lifeforms. Unfortunately the fumes from the flora make the mire unfriendly to humanoids and those who visit have to take precautions through magical or technological means to explore it. It's said that those who can brave the mire, however, often return with many valuable materials. But be warned, the poisonous vapours of this place are not the only threat - the aptly named Troll Woods sits right beside it where swamp trolls make their homes. They often go to the mire to hunt, whether it be for lifeforms there, or unwary travelers... The duskfen swamp, on the other hand, is more mild and suitable for life. However, it's still a swamp and as such is rather unpleasant. A goblin village makes their home inside the swamp and are said to actually be rather pleasant for goblins - before the red fever, tourism was a fairly common occurrence. The goblins were resistant and territorial to travelers at first, as goblins often are, but once they realized the potential for profit, they became much more accepting. The capital, Kibarak, is mostly populated by orcs, half-orcs, and humans, dwarves, oreads, and other “tough” races. Kibarak is a very brutal city - while it meets most of the criteria for a capital city - a government, merchants, a police force, even diplomats - it's very savage in nature. But if you respect their ways, you will not be harmed. Still, their "ways" deter most people from visiting. One of the more endearing things about the Kibarak is their fondness for the Erstone monks. Despite the fact that many of the monks are quite the opposite of your average Kibarak, they seem to respect them just as much, if not more, than they do each other. The reason for this is that many of the Kibarak consider themselves to be very practical and self-sufficient, of which they have in common with the Erstone monks. While their lifestyles may be drastically different, they respect their common lifestyle. The Erstone Monks trade with the Kibarak often, and there is a well-used travel route through the Moonwood, so named because of the way the flora glows in the dark when the light of the moon shines upon it. They say many species of faeries, nymphs, and other fae-people dwell in the Moonwood, along with a tribe of Slyph Druids who live there in harmony with the forest. THE STORMLEAF WOODS - this coastal forest region is often bombarded with storms and rainy weather, hence the name - as such, it is practically uninhabitable. Some say ghosts roam the woods, others say storm elementals do...but the howling storms make it hard for anyone to trust anyone else's stories about the place. KINGDOM OF ELIZAR The Kingdom of Elizar is home to the most integrated and civilized groups of elves, druids, gnomes, and all manner of other forest-dwelling creatures known in Belorin. The forests are criss-crossed with dozens of well-lit and decorated roads leading to various villages, town, and even cities within the forest, which reaches to the coast of the continent. The forest itself is as diverse as the populous, allowing for all manner of creature to live there. Many of the trees along the roads have been inscribed with arcane messages that glow at all times from the ambient magic that hums within the forest. These messages are most often left by travelers, visitors, and occasionally vandals... Historically, elves lived here first and for the longest time, it was only elves. But over time they allowed other races to come live and trade with the elven villages there. Some elves though this was an insult to their history and the sacred nature of the Forest, and the movement gained enough speed that in fact, many of them left and moved to other forests. YELMAR Yelmar, the capitol of Elizar, is an enormous metropolis constructed upon stone pillars that rise about 50 feet up from the forest floor, surrounding the city in rich, lush foliage from the tops of the trees. The capitol itself is shaped like a large wheel, with many spokes extending from the central city itself, each one sloping gently upwards towards the city, allowing travel and exit from all sides. It is a bustling capitol of trade and cultural convergence. ORTON Orton used to be a mostly uninteresting region of plains, populated by nomads and wanderers with a few villages dotted across the countryside. There are no major rivers, so most people had little interest in colonizing it. Some roaming tribes of gnoll savages have lived here for some time and are territorial, but also cowardly. THE SILENT WOOD The region of Orton is home to "The Silent Wood" which seems to be a forest of pure silence...here, all sound is swallowed instantly by the trees that populate the forest, a bizarre creation of a mage named Alkane who is said to have created the seeds and planted the forest himself. The story of Alkane can be found on the various carvings etched into large boulders that can be found throughout the forest: in the village that he lived in, the residents suddenly found themselves all deaf. No healing magic or remedies seemed to work...they asked for help from other cities, but the rumor about the "village of the deaf" only excited bandits and other criminals. They raided the city and took advantage of their disability. In response, he created the seeds of the Sound Swallower Trees, which required sound in order to grow. Alkane explained to the other villagers that they could move to the northwestern part of the region near the coast and rebuild their village there, in a beautiful forest of complete silence where, if anyone wished them harm, they would have to be deaf as well. And he infused the seeds as such that the trees would, over time, allow them to develop tremorsense so that they could survive attackers and detect danger without sound. They all agreed to come. Deaf citizens of other nations were also welcome in his haven. They named this place "Laconia". In order to help them operate as a community, the residents of Laconia developed a form of sign language so that they can communicate. Over time, wildlife migrated to the forest and they, too, developed tremorsense. As you might expect, their culture relies heavily on the visual...the forest itself is incredibly beautiful. The variation in tones and sounds allow the trees to all be very different from one another, as the sounds that they feed on vary. Because of this, the trees' leaves are all sorts of different sizes, shapes, and colors. Walking into the forest is like walking into an explosion of color. There is said to be few places in Belorin as beautiful as the Silent Wood. The forest itself actually comes alive, many of the trees swaying and moving around when the entire village joins together for their nightly "Performance", in which the residents all join together in the square and strum musical instruments, clearly without any idea what they're playing, but the trees don't seem to mind at all. It's an amazing sight: a large group of people sitting together in the village square surrounded by colorful trees, all singing and playing instruments mutely, the trees swaying and shedding leaves of all colors of the rainbow, showering them all. When the red fever struck, the trees began to wither and die - they were very much alive, and they sacrificed themselves in order to absorb the deadly virus, which caused many of them to wither and die, making the forest much smaller. The residents had no idea what was going on until a visitor came and told them about the plague that was wiping out so many lives throughout the rest of the world. STONEHAVEN The Dwarves of Stonehaven are world-renowned for their jewelry. After all, the Auric Mountains (Into which Stonehaven was built), is rich in gold veins and a variety of gems. Dwarven geologists who study the Auric Mountains believe that in the past, some kind of spatial warp might have occurred around this region to explain the unusual amount of gold and gems in the mountains. Because of this, the dwarves were somewhat snooty and pretentious to visitors and partners, but most tolerated it because the quality of their craftsmanship was unrivaled. To say "It was made in Stonehaven" is very impressive, but also mostly pointless because it should be obvious upon looking at the jewelry. Stonehaven also made weapons, but it was not their specialty, and they mostly made rapiers, officer's swords, and other weapons that were more for display than battle. In fact, they made rather mediocre weapons since appearance was all they really cared about. Stonehaven itself is accessible through a long tunnel going down into the mountain with plenty of checkpoints for security. But upon arrival, a more glorious city you are not likely to find. Gold everywhere. Walls glittered with golden specks, Gilded fountains in the city square, dwarves roaming the streets in colorful silk clothes, wearing sparkling jewelry with all manner of gems. Upon arrival, there is a fairly narrow road that leads around the edge of the city, giving you a full view from all angles as you approach. A trio of giant, floating orbs of magical light move slowly in a circle above the city, providing light which plays upon the golden city at all angles. They guard their city and its gold hoards jealously, not to mention the mountains themselves. When the meteorite shower began, the dwarves naturally sealed up all entrances, using backup air filtration systems. As luck would have it, they managed to get word about the plague and decided to wall up the city indefinitely. They still communicate with the outside world through magical scrying and sending people out with ventilation masks, but they're still wary. THE SOUTH PENINSULA There's a dock city on the south coast of the peninsula offering travel to the Erstone Kingdom and Mistvale Isle. They're one of the few "official" seafaring services available, considering all of the mutant fish in the sea. It costs a pretty penny, but you're in good hands. MISTVALE ISLE Mistvale Isle was unpopular before, but it's all but forgotten now aside from a small port operated by a small group of hermits. It's overrun with ferocious beasts, and even the fertile and sensational Goldendew Forest is little more than a haven for these beasts. However, it is known that Mistvale Isle's resources are valuable. Goldendew forest's trees secrete a unique kind of sap (from whence the name 'Goldendew' was born) which is both highly tasty, highly alcoholic (though it can be processed to have the alcohol removed, for, example, travel), and highly satiating. But it takes time to harvest the dew, and each tree only puts out a small amount of dew. With the beasts roaming now, it has become very dangerous to try this. The Darkpine Woods is said to be the "forest of undeath", in which any creature that perishes there will return as an undead version of its former self. In short, it's unlikely that any people live here. THE WILD LANDS The Wild Lands are a region, that is, for various reasons, largely uninhabited by civilized peoples. Each area in the Wild Lands has its own history and reason that people avoid it. THE DRAGON'S RAGE WOOD The Dragon's Rage Wood used to be home to a fairly successful city in the center of the woods. At first, some enterprising half-orcs came in and set up a lumber operation in the center of the woods which then grew into a village, and then a city. The city stood for roughly 76 years. They harvested much of the surrounding forest, some areas (which had especially valuable concentrations of resources) so much that they left the ground bare, since the resources were not self-sustaining. Other areas on the border (which was quite thick) were thinned out significantly to make it easier for travelers to come and go through the woods. Things were good - the city was profitable, the people were happy, and trade was flourishing. But then came the day historians call "The Restitution". One day, out of the clear blue sky, a great Forest Dragon was spotted in the sky. The account of survivors tells what happened next: In the next moment, it was on top of them. It landed in the city square with so much force that it sent a shockwave which immediately leveled buildings nearby and damaged many others. Then it let out a heart-wrenching roar that sent everyone fleeing and screaming in sheer panic. It leapt from building to building, crushing them easily, and breathing a green vaporous cloud that turned all who breathed it in into wood. Others who only caught a whiff of the vapor became violently ill. The dragon seemed more interested in destroying the city than actually killing people, but it sure killed a great many of the inhabitants if only through collateral damage. All throughout the terrible event, the Dragon was shouting in the draconic tongue. He would shout things like, "Disgusting creatures!" and "Such treachery, such greed!". All in all, about 6,000 people died. The others fled south to Stonehaven (They were not happy about becoming a refugee camp, but that's another story). Even from a great distance, those who fled could see the destruction the dragon was wreaking. He did minimal damage to the surrounding forest, which makes sense because as the survivors later discovered, the dragon was named "Sahviksil" (one of the few known), was known for jealously guarding his forests from humanoids that over-harvested the forests or otherwise showed disrespect for the forest. They were warned about this, and some people left, but most stayed. Why? Sahviksil had disappeared from knowledge for some time. Many believed he was dead or gone for good. It WAS unusual for a dragon to be gone for such a long time, but not unheard of. As you might imagine, most if not all travelers avoid the Dragon's Rage Wood at all costs. However, some brave (or foolish) adventurers will sometimes venture into the ruins of the city to recover valuables that were left, of which there are many, according to the survivors. Dragon's Rage Wood remains as a reminder to the civilized races to be respectful of the natural resources that abound, or else. WITCH VALE Witch Vale is a vale that houses a small community of eccentric witches, druids, barbarians, and other savages. The vale is considered special to them because it's the closest habitable area to the Crypt of Zielat, the Unforgiven. According to legend, Zielat was a mortal who moved into the mountains in order to meditate, train, and become enlightened. But instead, he decided that the Gods were tyrants, and he challenged the power of the Gods. They ignored him, so he went to the village at the bottom of the mountain (where Witch Vale is now) and laid waste to the entire town by himself! He killed several dozen of the village inhabitants, including several capable warriors. "Come down and face me!" he shouted to the sky. "Come provide me with a challenge! You're nothing but Tyrants! Look at how easily I destroy your pitiful servants!" As the legend goes, it was this point where that several of the Gods (good Gods) descended to Belorin and assumed their Avatar forms to battle him against the face of the Mountain of Hubris, so named because of this event. The battle pressed him back against the mountain face, but his strength was so great, and he held his ground against their assault so expertly, that they were forced to cleave a great scar into the mountains which incapacitated him long enough for them to be able to trap him in a cave where he was to be imprisoned forever. Witch Vale is a gathering place for those who believe that with enough followers and belief, Zielat could gain the strength to escape and challenge the Gods once again. The irony is there, but those who are mad are not easily reasoned with. MISTY MOOR The Misty Moor is a place of relaxation and reflection. It is at the delta of the unnamed river that runs through the Wild Lands, meaning several small rivers of water spread out amongst the moor, carpeted in moss and populated by the Lotus Luminia plants, also known as "Sunset Lament" sparkle gloriously in the sun, and when sunset arrives, the plants all release a sparkling vapor that they have stored up throughout the day and then they close into bulbs for the night while the sparkling pollen fills the sky like a cloud of silvery glitter. There is no wind at the moor, same as the Great Glass Sea - so when the pollen is released it drifts upwards above the moor, illuminating the moor with a silvery light. The vapors that are released from the flora in the Misty Moor have a calming and mildly hallucinogenic effect on humanoids, so many monks, clerics, or even just commoners who are feeling stressed out will sometimes make a trip to visit the misty moor which overlooks the Great Glass Sea, where the water is so still that it reflects the sky perfectly, which is often a calming blue with lovely puffy clouds. THE GREAT GLASS SEA The Sea gets its name from the strange absence of wind in this part of the sea, which allows the sea to perfectly reflect the sky due to its perfect stillness. Since there's no wind here, there are rarely any sailors or pirates or anything of that sort. THE TALON STEPPES The Talon Steppes are home to two warring tribes: the Savage Talon Tribe and the Inphidians. The Inphidians live along the river and coast, and the Talon Tribe lives pretty much everywhere else, but they're constantly battling for territory around the river. The Inphidians are mystics, with many clerics and dextrous warriors, while the Talon Tribe is comprised mainly of Barbarians and wild Sorcerers. Both claim right to the land - the Talon Tribe says their nomadic ancestors traversed the land for generations, while the Inphidians say they were born in the Quwa River (the river's true name is the Zirakib river according to the Talon Tribe). It's hard to say which one is more correct - one thing is for sure though, there are many forms of reptilian life that live and hunt in the Talon Steppes...antivenom and cure poison spells are advised for anyone traveling through the region. ANSTON KINGDOM (The Kingdom of broken faith) The Anston Kingdom is a temperate region, a former democratic bastion of benevolence, acceptance, prosperity, and worship of benevolent Gods. As luck would have it, they were also hit the hardest by the red fever. Once a bustling and populous kingdom, a beacon of civility amongst a cruel world, the Anston kingdom was ravaged by the red fever - while many regions lost about 30-40% of their population, Anston kingdom lost much more...something in the realm of 70%. The main product of the Anston Kingdom is Karancha fruit, which grows well in the heavy rainfall brought in by the Dragon Sea that batters the Kingdom. But the villages are now empty, dilapidated, looted, some burned. Former Wayshrines to benevolent Gods of healing, purity, beauty...now lay abandoned, covered in vines and moss, some with hateful graffiti sprawled across it, or vandalized, or all three. The Capital here is actually built into the side of a mountain that is right next to the sea - the buildings are actually built into the side of the mountain and give a breathtaking view of the Silver Sea. Gnomish King Zakush ruled the Kingdom before with a fair hand. He was well-loved by his people and bretheren alike. When the plague was ravaging his kingdom, he fell ill with it as well. His advisors and family insisted that he drink some Star Blood to live, but he said if his fate was to die as so many of his people had, he would. And so he did. After Zakush's death, his chief advisor, a human female named Arielle, was sworn in. But she knew it was a broken kingdom, broken in many ways. She does her best to keep her people happy and united, but with so many dead, so many shattered families...it's hard. THE DARK WOOD Before crossing into the Anston Kingdom, which is bright, sunny, and cheerful, you must pass through the Dark Wood. Here the foliage is so thick and numerous that very little light passes through the trees and vines. Because of this, it's perpetually dark in the woods. The difference here between day and night is practically indistinguishable. Light sources must be used in this wood, and even then it's hard to navigate. Many creatures that prefer the dark dwell here, making travel dangerous. Outside of the Dark Wood, a fortress stands, ready to defend the kingdom from any foul creatures that escape from the Wood. THE SCARWOOD FOREST The trees in this forest are older than any other in Belorin. They're so tough that all attempts to harvest them have failed. Aside from twigs and small branches, it's been proven impossible to harvest them. The trees themselves are like pillars of stone, bearing equally tough nuts, the most common and useful of which is Julori Nuts, which are about the size of a large marble and perfectly star-shaped. They are rough and don't taste very good, but they are nutritious and can be used in Alchemy to form barkskin potions. The wildlife that dwells in the Scarwood Forest tend to be tough, docile, and very old, but like the forest itself. The forest got its name from the marks and scratches on the trees, proof that many over the years have attempted to harvest the trees, with little success. The trees are undeniably alive - they produce fruit, but no seeds. THE LONE WOOD They call this place the Lone Wood because they say only a lone hermit lives here in a shack in the middle of the woods, probably a druid. But nobody really knows, because the woods are booby trapped in many places and the hermit has never actually shown himself. No one has come close enough to see him or even talk to him (if it's even a him). GREYMONT Greymont is unique in that before the red fever, it was a mostly unremarkable Kingdom comprised mainly of halflings with some dwarves and half-orcs. They mined the mountains and hills for common metals and manufactured common weapons and made a respectable society for themselves, if somewhat quiet. Citizens of Greymont are known for their tinkering skills, and many Gremont citizens are known for keeping Clockwork Servants. Sometimes even as pets, or companions. There are many large holes dug into the ground throughout the Greymont Hills, mines - some abandoned after being depleted, some still being worked. Then the red fever hit, but rather than kill off their population, the dead rose up against immediately with no apparent memory of dying. It normally wouldn't take them long to realize that they were, in fact, dead, but it didn't seem to bother them much. The population that did not get infected with red fever were conflicted: some of them wanted to leave since it was rather bizarre (and smelly) to be living amongst undead, but some of them didn't really care that they were undead. They were still the same people they knew in life, only difference was...they're undead now. As you might expect, this state of affairs has caused some strife with the Gods that hate undead, and enticed the Gods that approve of undeath. The citizens of Greymont don't seem to care much either way, but they obviously hate the Clerics and Paladins that come and try to "put down" the undead citizens. Some Good Clerics and Paladins, however, have come around to the side of the Greymont citizens who are accepting of the undead populous and there has been much argument and debate in the Anti-undead religions about these people. THE TINE FOREST Through some unknown anomaly, much of the flora and fauna here show signs of unlife. Strangely though, they seem to be “growing” wildly – a paradox of a “thriving” undead forest. Many dangerous creatures “live” here, but there are also many valuable alchemical ingredients and other rare materials to be found here. Most believe that whatever it is that tainted this forest also tainted Greymont, but expeditions to uncover the source have failed. THE CONTINENT OF PAZMAD DOMINION OF ARAMOOR The Dominion of Aramoor is known as the "Home of Magic". Many Mages, Sorcerers, and even Witches call Aramoor their home. The University of Absolute Enlightenment resides here in the capital city, with a rich and detailed history. Ambitious magic users and scholars from all over Belorin travel to Aramoor to advance their studies and hopefully gain some respect and renown at the same time. “THE UNIVERSITY OF ABSOLUTE ENLIGHTENMENT” The university of absolute enlightenment is often mocked for its long name and reputation as a place for pretentious magic users to have intellectual debates that don't hold any real value in the world, and that they have a sort of “ivory tower” mentality. However, the university is known for producing powerful but benevolent magic users – they stress the responsibility that comes with using magic and work with the local clergy to ensure that students hold themselves to a high moral code. Because of this the university is generally thought well of by those who are fond of order and benevolence. Those who graduate from the university are granted the exalted title of “Enlightened” along with their specialty. For example, “Enlightened Abjurist” or “Enlightened Sage”, etc. THE RUNEWOOD FOREST The Runewood Forest is one of the most amazing forests in all of Belorin. The forest is immensely enormous in the center, with the trees towering up 50 feet or even more, and descending downwards from the center gradually. The trees themselves are enormous too, and even without being able to approach, one could see the lights from some kind of capitol city in the center. The Runewood Forest is comprised almost entirely of elves, according to the elven diplomats that have visited and reported back. They are racist, isolationist, and deadly. Their entire forest is considered a "no go" zone to most, if not all, other cities and regions. Non-elves who visit have been killed on sight, although elves who visit are welcomed warmly. Every account of their behavior by non-elves that document their visits actually seem to indicate that the elves are very kind and generous in all ways. They educate visitors on the history of the elves, and why the rest of the world is corrupt and evil. Some elven diplomats who went to visit and report actually ended up staying. As such, not much is known about the Runewood elves. There are rumors, however, of colossal, ancient, magical forms of common wildlife that live in the Runewood Forest. WHISPERING WOODS The Whispering Woods are avoided by all but the most adventurous travelers. Those who travel through the woods report strange visual and auditory hallucinations. Some scholars believe that poltergeists may be living in the whispering woods, or other forms of undead. Those who have visited the woods report that nagivational tools cease to function and it can take a very long time indeed to find your way out of the woods. Very few are ever harmed or die in the whispering woods, but it's still a very strange experience that deters most travelers. THE GREEN WOOD This is a mostly unremarkable Wood mostly used to hunt game and gather fruits and berries by those who work the dock and live in villages around the coast. THE ASH HILLS Formerly known as the Garhali Hillside, The Ash Hills are where the first indications of the red fever began to show. A cluster of villages made their home in the ash hills, and when villagers started to get infected and die, someone from one of the villages went off their rocker and decided to "sterilize" his home, hoping to stop the spread of infection. The fire spread to the other villages flames lit up the hills, leaving only charred wreckage and ash in its place. The hills are thought of as cursed, and few visit today. THE BRIARWALL WOOD The Briarwall Wood is the main source of timber in the Aramoor region, and it mainly used by the capital for production. THE HOWLING HILLS The Howling Hills are so named because of the high wind that races across the hilltops in this region. Many aerial creatures make their home here, along with an eccentric halfling inventor who aims to invent a means of flight without the use of magic. On occasion, he can be seen flying around the howling hills wearing whatever latest contraption he's invented. PROVINCE OF WESTMARCH Westmarch is the haven of the arts - many writers, painters, dancers, gypsies, magicians, jesters...all come from Westmarch. It's also known as the wine capital of the world, and there are many vineyards scattered across the region. The culture of wining, dining, dancing and merriment has attracted a variety of "sorts" to the area: nobles, successful merchants, and even some mercenaries and other unsavory criminal elements. The architecture in Westmarch is very circular. Many of the buildings are large circles, and so the city streets have a very surreal feel to them, as it's hard to find your way around sometimes. Since the red fever outbreak, this place has darkened considerably, as you might imagine. It's become less of a tourist/vacation attraction and more of a realm of addiction, despair, and crime. This is also the home of the Westmarch Arena, renamed “Final Stop”. It has attracted all sorts of combatants – most of all don't live more than a few days. THE CORVET WOODS These woods, normally reserved for nature hikes, dramatic settings for plays, picnics and other such niceties are now crawling with highwaymen and bandit lords who have taken over the former vacation homes for well-to-do vacationers and jealously guard their territory. THE FAERIE WOODS The Faerie Woods, as you might imagine, is where many fae-kin creatures make their home. Luckily for them, the plague does not affect faeries, and the criminal element that runs rampant throughout Westmarch dare not enter the words for fear of their magical defenses. For this reason, most of the populous that wants to avoid the dangerous criminal element converges here if they don't want to leave the region. At the north part of the continent, there is a dock that ferries people across the Celadon Sea to Morland, an island off the coast where people who want to get as far away as possible from society have been going. MORLAND Formerly the home of a pacifistic tribe of eccentric stargazers, they were forced out by the “Star Children” after the red fever. The “Star Children” a rapidly growing cult that believes the red fever and meteorites were a gift from beings that live even beyond the reach of the Gods, they believe that the meteorites were the opening act of a "spiritual cleansing" which removed the impure and unworthy from Belorin. They plan to make the island the welcoming mat for "The All-Powerful". They refer to themselves as the "Star Children". Most of the rest of the world has other, more colorful names for them. THE DEADLANDS Located in central Pazmad, this area is a mostly barren, uncivilized waste. But it's also where some of the most rare and sought-after monsters and beasts make their home. The Demonspine Mountains separate the two regions here, and while the region is not exactly a popular tourist destination, there is a little we know about it. THE CASTARA VELDT Home to many unique beasts, this is a hot spot for "monster hunters" from the world over who risk their lives to take down the magical beasts that live here and sell their parts for a huge profit. Or simply for bragging rights. Spotted amongst the veldt are small villages of savages who hunt the lands. These people are known as "The Veldt Runners". While they are savage and lack any manner of social grace, they are ruthless hunters and their prowess is clearly visible in the weapons and armor crafted from the monsters they've hunted. However, they don't take kindly to monster hunters invading their turf, and they've been known to kill monster hunters that are unwary enough to be caught by them. They have been known to barter with travelers, but it's rare. THE GREAT BRONZE WASTES A vast desert. There is scant life to be found here, and that which does exist is terrifying and powerful. It is known that there are a couple ruined cities out here...perhaps the remains of nomads or some ill-fated society that tried to start out there. The sun is scorching and the water is scarce. There is, of course, some valuable things here that are rare in the rest of the world - but most don't dare to risk acquiring them. BARAZAH ISLE The Barazah isle is a tropical island in the western-most part of the world. The main city in the Barazah Isle is Chuamaca, where there actually seems to be as many monkeys as humans. Many monkeys make their home in the nearby Gully Jungle, and as the workers from Chuamaca came to harvest lumber and other plants and herbs, the monkeys started to follow them. Before long, the workers started adopting the monkeys as pets, and then it became fashionable to have a monkey as a pet. Nowadays in Chuamaca, you'll find nearly as many monkeys as people! They're so loved, in fact, that Chuamaca's official symbol is the monkey. There is a large inactive volcano in the center of the island. THE BLACK MIRE The Black Mire is a toxic swamp at the southern end of Barazah, the disgusting counterpart to Barazah's otherwise majestic beauty. The hot, humid environment allows for all sorts of toxic plants to thrive in the mire, and yes, many of them are black or dark purple in color. KINGDOM OF SERDIUS The region of Serdius is heavily forested - there are 4 main woods in this region. They intertrade with one another, and seem to have little cares aside from this. As such they do not use gold or other typical forms of currency, they use the barter system and that alone. The architecture and technology of Serdius is completely unique in Belorin. The theme of the region's architecture is based on one thing: confusion of perception. There is heavy use of spirals (many spiral staircases), patterns in tile and wall design that seem to have images blending into and becoming one another (M.C. Escher style), glassy buildings that do strange tricks of light, slanted buildings, buildings that lead underground, etc. The cities in the region are actually hidden from sight when at sea level, because the cities are actually dug directly out of the ground and the stone shaped into the buildings and streets. Many homes are actually sentient creatures called "Phensavi". They are giant (~30 feet tall) creatures of stone that are shaped like houses.They seem to be loyal to certain "bloodlines", according to the citizens. The homes are are actually wrought out of stone and the foundations are the legs of these great colossi. However, they seem to be very smart considering they are essentially giant robots. They will not step on any living creature, and they never collide with anything else. Before the red fever, it was not uncommon to see one of these, but many people have moved away from Serdius to live in isolation, fearing the red fever. There are many libraries in Serdius, and the locals take great pride in their rich cultural history. THE VENYAN WOOD These woods are particularly riddled with vines and all sorts of troublesome foliage and undergrowth which make these woods ideal for the tribe of Vanara that live here. The Vanara are somewhat aloof, but usually not hostile. They're vegetarians and only eat fruit from the trees...they're wise in their own way and very nimble. LIANGAR FOREST The northern part of the Liangar Forest is a bit sparse since it's right on the border of the Veldt. As such, animals from the Veldt will sometimes wander into this section and hunt. It's inhabited by a tribe of Bugbears who are fairly dumb and only live in the forest because they're not allowed in other places. It's been rumored that their leader is a strange figure of some sort...certainly not a bugbear. The forest is actually plagued by bark beetles who have ravaged the trees, and the forest is just in sorry condition. The other communities around Serdius are actually somewhat afraid that they might be considering moving to another forest... SILVERWOOD FOREST The Silverwood Forest has rivers running all throughout it. Travelers are warned that there are many patches of quicksand in the forest along with some unusual and dangerous insectoid and amphibious creatures. A small civilization of elves used to live here, but they seem to have been wiped out by the red fever, moved away, or something else. Some of the wildlife here have mutated as well, which may have helped to cause them to move away. There are some abandoned treehouses which have started to become covered in moss, and as such are somewhat hard to locate. BELLOAK WOODS Here is the home of the infamous Belloak mushrooms, which are known to cause intense hallucinations and sensory confusion for those who take them. Some tribes are known to use the mushrooms in rites of passage and other such rituals. The only problem is, removing the mushrooms without care will cause the trees to slowly wither and die (they form a symbiotic relationship), and a small colony of outcasts and other "outer fringe" people have taken up residence in a small village on a spot of plains between the outer edge of the forest and the hills. And these people have become addicted to the mushrooms, taking them away without care and even attacking others they see in the forest. THE BROKEN KINGDOMS Long ago, the Broken Kingdoms were known as the "Unified Brotherhood of Peace", run by a council of 4 Lords who ruled over 4 fair-sized kingdoms in this region. They traded with one another, citizens freely visited each city and there was great peace here. The 4 Lords met each month and discussed matters, and were very intelligent and benevolent rulers. However, a mining expedition to the southern tip of the continent revealed an icy cave that, it is said, stretches all the way to the Eternal Ice at the far north part of the world through an elaborate series of tunnels under the seas themselves. As it turns out, there was an ancient barrier in place in the cave. Some said it should be left alone - and so it was agreed. But others' curiosity is not sated so easily. They went there with a handful of powerful mages and wizards and released the seal - as they did, The Tarrasque of legend burst forth and went on a rampage across the countryside. It's said that in the space of a few days, the Tarrasque had already destroyed all of the villages, cities, and capitals in the region along with all of those who did not flee, and quickly. At long last it was driven back into the tunnels and the seal restored, but only through divine intervention and a handful of elite soldiers, warriors, magic users and clerics. The Broken Kingdoms has been intentionally left alone since, mostly as a word of warning not to tamper with that which we do not understand. The kingdoms lay in their former broken state, the countryside littered with Tarrasque footprints, trees torn out of the ground by their roots, even skeletons littering the plains. WITCHFEN MIRE While Witchfen Mire is technically a swamp, it's really more of a floodplain, and it often floods completely. It's in a large valley that leads down to the coast. There is a tribe of Merfolk and some Undines also live here, in domes crafted out of coral - they are benevolent and in fact delight in visitors. They usually don't get many - but after the red fever, many visitors came here because a rumor began that they had accumulated many meteorites in the shower and were trading them away for much less than could be found elsewhere. Wisp o the Willows can be found here also - they are benevolent and while they cannot communicate, they will change colors depending on their "mood". They seem to delight in the moist area here. The Merfolk believe that the Wisp o the Willows are the ghosts of their departed kin. Since the merfolk and undines are primarily aquatic, they managed to avoid the red fever for the most part. Their biggest threat now is the mutated fish that have been ravaging the seas in some parts of the world. At the center of Witchfen Mire is a large hole in the ground, into which all of the water flows, constantly, in a large ring like one giant waterfall. It seems to go on into infinity, and few dare to descend into the abyss. It's unknown what lays at the bottom, for no one has ever returned from there. OSTEMHEIM Ostemheim is known for it's national sport: Spiteball. It's known for its brutal nature - the goal is to throw or kick the ball through hoops at the end of either side of the field. It gets its name from the fact that it brings audience participation to a whole new level: randomly selected spectators on either side of the field that represent either team are allowed to hurl stones at the opposing team with slings when the opposing team is ahead and in possession of the ball. The nickname for Ostemheim is "The Everstorm", because the weather here is almost always stormy, rainy, or some combination thereof. Spiteball itself is centered around stormy weather and in fact cannot be played unless it's actively raining, and hard. The players are known to be some of the toughest men and women in the world, and many go on to become famed warriors. This makes for some interesting matches, and veteran players of the game are often heavily scarred. The fandom of the sport is so intense here that popular players often get elected for public office. Also, it's fashionable for citizens to mark their faces with unique tattoos that show their favorite team, or player. GLITTERVALE FOREST Aside from that, Ostemheim is home to the Glittervale Forest, where many of the trees sprout violet flowers that shower glittering golden dust when shaken. Once the glitter falls out of the flower it remains bright for 4-5 hours, so often the forest will be carpeted in a golden, glittering layer - especially on windy days. This unique property has attracted many denizens to come live there - gnomes, faeries, halflings, and other lovers of beauty. ANVIL ISLANDS The Anvil Islands are where the slaver-mercenaries make their home: the despicable tyrants who trade in slaves to forge weapons and other equipment, and then sell the weapons and equipment to warring factions all over the world for a considerable profit. Attempts have been made by certain entities to attack the Anvil Islands and free the slaves to help bring an end to this horrid enterprise, but the Anvil Slavers are well-protected: they have many catapults, evil clerics, wizards, archers and riflemen guarding the coasts. They've been known to shoot down any ship who comes within range, which begs the question of how they manage to do business? The anvil islands are actually separated into two parts: the north island is used for supplying the main island to the south. North Anvil is mainly farmland, pastures, mills, that kind of thing. It's actually not very unpleasant...anyone taken captive by the Anvil Slavers would hope to end up here. The South is much worse...smithies, warehouses, prisons abound. The acrid stench of bellows smoke fills the air at most times and it's loud, dirty, and bloody. This is also where the dock is, and where the Anvil Slavers do most of their business. THE ETERNAL ICE Located far to the north of Belorin across many miles of sea, the "eternal ice" can be found. Here it is so frigid that few dare to explore it, and the ice here is so cold and thick that all attempts to drill through or melt it have failed, hardly making a dent. Only feral ice beasts can survive here..